Metrics, successes & flaming disasters in digital marketing

Solve Media’s concept is to replace that annoying process called CAPTCHA, where you’re asked to prove your humanness by reading and re-typing a few words that software robots (and many humans) can’t read, with paid ad placements.

“The idea is that [Solve Media's] ads require users to engage with them, by typing in the names of brands and products. But they don’t do anything beyond that — they don’t trigger a video, or take you to another Web site, or anything else. It’s sort of like sitting on your couch and uttering ‘Outback’ every time a Subaru spot comes on.

“[CEO Ari Jacoby] claims his ‘type-in’ ads will increase Web surfer’s recall of the ads, for the same reason that writing anything down makes it easier to remember.”

Seems like a win to me. The CAPTCHA experience is universally despised by users, but it’s essential for publishers looking to keep spammers from meddling with their content. Improve a bad but necessary experience, AND make money for revenue-hungry content creators? What’s not to love?!